Shiloh celebrates another house saved

E. Nesquehoning St. home was blight. Now it's fixed and for sale.

Shiloh Community Services Inc. of Easton held an open house at one of its properties Wednesday celebrating the renovation of a three-story house on the South Side.

The nonprofit organization, which renovates dilapidated houses and resells them to first-time homeowners, plan to sell a house at 301 E. Nesquehoning St. for $199,900.

The house was bought for $67,000 last year, said David Rawlins, director of housing for Shiloh.

"Our goal is to not make a profit," Rawlins said. "We put the money we get back into a revolving pool so we have more to renovate other properties in the future."

City Councilwoman Carole Heffley, who attended the open house, applauded Shiloh for the work.

"It was really a terrific job. It was really a blighted property," she said. "I was astonished to see the remaining woodwork intact."

Heffley also said the selling price may be too high.

"[Shiloh has] been the first on board to help Easton, but I consider $199,000 a pretty expensive home," she said. "When I think of affordable housing, I think of $80,000 or even $90,000."

Rawlins said the size of the house and $44,000 spent on renovations were factors in the selling price. He said it took two months to renovate the house, which has seven bedrooms, three bathrooms and a laundry room.

The house was built in 1900. In 1965, it was a group home where city Councilman Ken Brown stayed several months when he was 8 years old.

"My brothers and sisters stayed there because my mom was sick," said Brown, who attended the open house. "What Shiloh Community Services did with that home is tremendous."

The Easton Redevelopment Authority hired Shiloh Community Services in May 2002 to launch the housing program.